Remains of Teeple Barn to be demolished

Until recently, the historic Teeple Barn stood as a distinctive reminder of Elgin's agricultural history.

The 122-year-old barn collapsed in May and has been a pile of rubble since. But now some people are working to keep its memory alive.

A representative from John B. Sanfilippo and Sons, the company that owns the site and the neighboring snack food factory, says the company plans to demolish what's left of the barn and clear the property in August.

But first, they are working with descendants of Lester Teeple and members of the preservation group AgTech -- the group that's been working for years to maintain the barn -- to save parts of it as keepsakes.

"That whole historical aspect, I guess, is something that runs in our family," company President Jasper Sanfilippo said. "It's important to try to preserve these things, share them with the community."

The Teeple Barn was the only 16-sided barn in the state. It's on the National Register of Historic Places.

And seven years ago it was commemorated along with 47 other national relics in a White House millennium project released by National Geographic called "Saving America's Treasures."

Sanfilippo said the company plans to set up an agricultural education center on the property, right by their Fisher nuts headquarters, where people can see pieces of the Teeple Barn and learn about the history of the area.

They also want to use wood from the barn to build a small replica, which would be set outside to commemorate the site, Sanfilippo said.

And the company is talking about holding an event -- possibly a fund-raiser for AgTech -- where anyone can pick up their own little piece of Elgin's history on a first-come, first-served basis.

Ken Teeple, who is the grandson of the builder and used to live on the property, said he wouldn't mind having his own piece of the barn.

"I would like a little bit of something myself," he said.

Teeple said he planned to meet Friday afternoon with AgTech President Bill Collins and officials from Sanfilippo and Sons to mark which parts of the barn to set aside.

"You save what's salvageable and get it removed from the premises," Teeple said. "Then you worry about what you're going to do with it."

Not everyone, however, supports the current plans to clear away the remains of the barn.

Local auctioneer -- and Elgin history aficionado -- John Prigge said he approached Sanfilippo and Sons about auctioning off pieces of the barn.

But Prigge and Sanfilippo said the two sides couldn't work out a timeline that fit with a planned grand opening of the Fisher nuts headquarters in September.

"I was told it would be near impossible to do an auction," Prigge said. "I'm going to remain optimistic. But to do a superior job for them I'll need time."

Even though it looks as if an auction is unlikely, Prigge said he's a firm believer that it would be the best option.

"Selling something so rare, unique, not only an Elgin treasure, but a national treasure, an auction is the only way to go," he said. "I'm sad. Sad on the business end of it. Sad on the sentimental, historic part of me.

"It's rare you find anything on the National Register of Historic Places at an auction," he said.